How large is the Turkish military build-up on its border with Iraq?
A Turkish security source told me unofficially that there were 10,000 commandos in South-East Turkey ready to go into Iraq. A smaller force is already inside Iraq. He also said that another 15,000 troops in the region are on standby. Silopi is very much the end of the line, with military checkpoints at the edge of the town blocking the road towards the border. There are soldiers, Jeeps and tents set up every few hundred yards on the road out of town, with vehicles moving in and out of the checkpoint. Lorry drivers returning from the border report that tanks and other hardware are there.
